439. The True Hell!

(T/N): Since it's Christmas there is mass release.

🎄🎄Merry Christmas🎄🎄

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Hoo—ha—hoo—ha—

The endless darkness felt like thick, viscous ink. Every tiny movement became more and more difficult, and the surrounding black mist seemed almost alive, as if something were slowly writhing in the dark.

Gasping for air, the blond man struggled to open his eyes. His throat felt as though it were on fire, like a broken bellows, with every breath making a decayed, screeching sound.

In the darkness, a shadow twisted its body, taking shape and emitting an eerie aura that spread out.

"You're awake."

The voice came from the shadow, though it was like a high-frequency vibration, playing an unsettling frequency, like the whispers of an unknown creature.

The blond man closed his eyes, a surge of fear rising in his heart, but for a moment, this fear was quickly overtaken by confusion.

Listening to the suppressed, restless sounds around him, the man felt only confusion and unease.

As his thoughts gradually cleared, his brain slowly regained control over his body. The blond man realized that, at some point, the surrounding sounds had quieted, eventually becoming complete silence.

Opening his eyes once more, the dazzling lights seemed to twist under some invisible force, returning to their original positions. The boundless darkness and shadows were dispelled, and all the blurred images gradually became clearer.

"You're awake?"

The voice sounded again, making the blond man shudder.

When he regained his senses, he noticed that the voice came from a middle-aged man with a strange pendant hanging from his chest and a red cloak draped over his back.

"Stephen?!"

The Sentry's mouth dropped open in disbelief as he stared at the man before him.

"Mm-hmm, looks like this blond gentleman from afar knows me," Doctor Strange said with a light smile before turning to speak. "I told you he's not an enemy. Punisher, you can lower your axe now."

"Whether he's an enemy or not isn't something you can judge by whether he recognizes you," the Punisher said coldly.

"Wait, no, what is going on here?"

The Sentry struggled to sit up and looked around. He realized he was indeed in the Sanctum Sanctorum. Though it was quite different from how he remembered it, he knew for sure that he was in the Sanctum Sanctorum right now.

Curiously observing the disheveled Doctor Strange and the cautious Punisher, the Sentry frowned deeply, still unable to process what was happening.

Suddenly, something came to the Sentry's mind. He sharply looked at his hands, but to his disbelief, his hands were now pale and glossy.

"This is impossible!"

"I think you might need this."

Doctor Strange pulled out a copper mirror from his robe and kindly handed it to the Sentry.

Taking the mirror, the Sentry silently looked at his reflection. He looked just as he remembered, but what was different now was that the pale white pupils were gone, and his vicious, bloodthirsty teeth had returned to their original state.

"I... I've turned back?" The Sentry trembled as he touched his face. Though he appeared calm on the surface, inside, his emotions were raging like a storm.

"To be more accurate, you've been healed," Doctor Strange explained from the side. "I've encountered many viruses from other dimensions, and I must say, the one you had here was quite shocking."

"No... no way, how is this possible?!" The Sentry looked at Doctor Strange in surprise, his lips trembling uncontrollably.

He knew very well that the Doctor Strange before him wasn't the one he remembered, because in his world, Doctor Strange had already been... eaten by him.

"Don't get too worked up, sir."

Doctor Strange waved his hand, and a teapot automatically floated up, pouring three cups of tea.

"I know you have a lot of questions, and likewise, we have many questions about you, like why that sorcerer sent you to this place?"

"This place? What is this place?" the Sentry asked, confused.

Doctor Strange and the Punisher exchanged glances, both letting out a slight sigh before Doctor Strange turned his gaze back to the Sentry and said with a wry smile.

"This is the real Hell, sir."

If you want others to fully believe in you, the first thing you must do is believe in them. This phrase was quite useful for Doctor Strange. After all, there was nothing left to lose now.

Compared to the man infected with some unknown zombie virus, Doctor Strange felt somewhat lucky, and he was also very curious about what was happening outside.

"... So, we had to be sealed here. In fact, we've been imprisoned here. It's like a prison, but 'seal' sounds more acceptable."

Doctor Strange sat opposite the Sentry and calmly explained the events that had occurred here. He had gradually gotten used to life in this place.

"So, this universe is the product of mental contamination, a world on the verge of destruction?" The Sentry furrowed his brows thoughtfully, as if understanding something.

"You could say that. At first, it really felt like the world was falling apart. Many people died, and under the influence of the contamination, countless bizarre monsters were born here.

Since the natural cycles here were completely out of balance, the dead couldn't find peace. Slowly, they began to mutate and merge, transforming into creatures that seemed to have awoken from nightmares."

As he spoke, Doctor Strange pointed at the Sentry. "Of course, those creatures, you've already encountered them. Just don't know if they suit your taste."

"Cough, cough." The Sentry felt a bit embarrassed.

Not lingering on that topic, Doctor Strange smiled and continued.

"Later on, the remaining people started to rebuild new civilizations. They formed various gathering points and city-states, but under the chaotic mental contamination, they fell into endless madness.

In fact, life here isn't too bad. At least, here, we don't have to worry about birth, aging, sickness, or death. No life is born here, and no life dies either."

"Then why do you still retain your sanity? I thought you all would be killing each other," the Sentry recalled some of his memories from when he first arrived.

Back then, he was slaughtering and devouring every bit of flesh he could see. Similarly, every living being here relentlessly attacked him.

Those strange, misshapen monsters made up of countless severed limbs left a huge psychological scar on him.

"There are always ways to avoid contamination, as long as you can find the patterns," Doctor Strange chuckled. "I don't know if you've heard of Franklin."

"Mr. Fantastic's kid?" the Sentry thought for a moment before answering.

"Yes, that child had an extremely powerful gift. He could completely reshape the universe with his thoughts if he wanted to. But sadly, despite being that powerful, he was still stabbed to death by Deadpool," Doctor Strange shrugged.

"So, you mean the contamination subtly influences one's sanity and perception, and those invisible forces 'forcefully' explain what's happening in reality through some kind of logic?"

"See? Figuring out the truth isn't that difficult, is it? This is a higher level of mental radiation, reflecting the thoughts and visions of those higher-dimensional beings we're in contact with. That's exactly what's happening here."

Doctor Strange took a sip of tea and said plainly.

"So, in a sense, those who fall into the contamination are essentially a group of walking dead, mechanically going about their work, killing everything they see.

Anyway, let's not talk about that. Let's talk about you. I'm quite curious about you."

"Me?" The Sentry was slightly startled.

"Yes, you. A new, mysterious, and strange superhero."

Doctor Strange crossed his arms, speaking in a deep voice.

"That sorcerer didn't just send you here for no reason. Even with the zombie virus you carry, I believe with his power, he could've easily found a solution. So, what's the real reason?"

Upon hearing Doctor Strange's question, the Sentry fell into deep thought. He had never truly understood what he had gone through. He only knew that his thoughts were being driven by some kind of desire.

At first, he thought those desires were brought on by the zombie virus: bloodthirsty, obsessive urges to devour flesh. But now, after understanding the history of this universe, he began to consider other possibilities.

"I... I'm not sure," the Sentry muttered, his head lowered in frustration.

Suddenly, an eerie energy began to spread.

Both Doctor Strange, who was highly sensitive to special energies, and the Sentry reacted immediately. They both sharply raised their heads and looked around warily.

It was an invasion from the outside, a form of pressure from the mental domain.

The flames in the Sanctum Sanctorum began to leap wildly and were instantly dyed a ghostly green.

Feeling the familiar yet unfamiliar sense of unease, even the Punisher couldn't sit still anymore. The three of them almost simultaneously stood up and looked toward the entrance of the Sanctum Sanctorum's hall.

There, a crimson portal slowly rose, eventually forming a rectangular barrier. No one knew what terrifying creatures awaited on the other side.

Through that flickering, chaotic barrier, the Sentry even seemed to see some indescribable shadow twisting its body.

Finally, a black leather shoe emerged.

Slowly, the figure stepped entirely through the portal and into the view of the three men.

Looking at the man dressed in a black trench coat, the Punisher's eyelids twitched, and he was the first to break the silence.

"It's you!"

.....

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440. The Upper Narrative!

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442. The Resurrection of the Dead.

443. A Strange New World!

444. The Party.